I recently had the opportunity to review the excellent Thrustmaster T150 steering wheel. It came a standard pedal unit that admittedly served its purpose, yet failed to deliver the authentic feel and weight of real pedals. I know, for that price, the wheel and pedals are an excellent package, but what if you want more? Well I also received some exquisitely named T3PA-PRO Add-on pedals to try out.

Now these pedals look and feel like they have been spirited away from a boy-racers pride and joy. The fifteen pounds of (mostly) metal components mean this beast will not slide around on most floor surfaces, but this kind of beauty begs for a full racing rig. Sadly, my wife would not allow such a setup and divorce proceedings would cost more than a rig anyway, so I guess I will go without.

A Conical Rubber Brake Mod is the thing to remember first and foremost about this pedal unit. What is it I hear you ask? Well allow me to explain with the help of Thrustmaster’s lingo:

The T3PA-PRO includes two removable mods, which can be installed directly underneath the brake pedal. With the first mod (the Spring Brake Mod), composed of an additional compression spring, the pressure force can be adjusted between 30 and 35 pounds. With the second mod (the Conical Rubber Brake Mod), composed of a conical stop made from industrial-grade high-density rubber, the pressure force can be adjusted between 45 and 70 pounds. Using this mod, users will also enjoy an authentic feel thanks to an ultra-progressive resistance at the end of the pedal’s range of travel.

What does this mean to you and I? Well that high-density rubber makes pushing that brake pedal feel so natural and authentic it is truly amazing. Now the observant readers among you will have noticed this unit has three pedals, and I’ve only been blabbering on about the brake. Well I largely ignored the clutch. It worked just as well as the gas pedal, but I just prefer the two-pedal setup. I’m sure it didn’t mind, it’s just a machine.

Attaching the T3PA-PRO pedals to the steering wheel unit is child’s play. For the few that care, you can even hook it straight up to a PC with a T.RJ12 USB adaptor which is sold separately. The pedals can be adjusted in all manner ways, from the height and angle of inclination to the spacing. I found the standard setup to work perfectly well. I would consider changing anything if I inverted the base from the floor-mounted (F1-style) to the suspended position (GT-style).

Inverting the pedals is a relatively quick process that took me about ten minutes, but that was only due to the small fiddly screws and tiny butterfly bolts. Swapping it back took a little longer due to the awkward placement of the four holes needed to secure the metal plate. It’s a simple process, just be careful to not lose those tiny parts.

Conclusion:
These pedals aren’t for everyone, obviously, but the market at which they are aimed should really take note. Anyone who plans on building a racing rig should buy these pedals. The hefty weight and sturdiness ensures that they will take a lot of punishment. The pedals (especially the brake) feel and look great and in fact the overall feel is second to none.

A degree of patience and some extra time is needed to invert the pedals if you want the suspended instead of the floor mounted, but that’ll depend on whichever you prefer as both offer excellent comfort. If you can afford it and want the exceptional authenticity these pedals bring to your racing games then I can find little reason why you should not get these.